In the wake of death or tragedy to a family member or loved one, one of the most difficult questions to answer is how to handle the digital records they leave behind. It is a complicated issue with several legal concerns, such as third-party privacy, conflict with federal law and proper authentication of authorizing documents for fraud prevention. As the state with the largest population of persons over the age of 65 in America, Florida has a significant interest in addressing the digital needs of its aging population and their survivors.

A new McDonald Hopkins special report, “Digital life after death – Florida grants fiduciaries access to digital information,” discusses this very topic and details the Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act. The new legislation, effective July 1, 2016, will bring Florida in line with several other states regarding access to the digital assets of the deceased or incapacitated.